The Little Consort's
Eps. 56: Left behind

The day had already gone by the afternoon when Li Anlan had finished accompanying Li Afan. The orphaned Li brothers parted in front of Lanxin Pavilion with happy faces. Today, Li Anlan not only treated the heartache of her lover, but also filled her rare day out of the palace with something fun.

"Anlan, catch!"

Li Afan threw a flower-embroidered pouch at his sister. The bag contained three hundred taels of silver that Li Afan had collected during these few months. Li Anlan caught the bag swiftly, as well as being happy as his money coffers increased again.

"That's the net profit from your building for three months, which I calculated according to your direction."

"Amazing out! I really am a young entrepreneur! Brother, thank you. Bye bye!"

"Be careful!"

Li Afan ushered in his sister's departure with a happy look. The beautiful man who had just lost his lover continued to look forward until his sister's body disappeared behind the crowd. After making sure the younger brother had left, Li Afan went straight to Lanxin Pavilion, continuing his work that had been delayed due to the wedding ceremony in the Yao family.

On the road, Li Anlan continued to step foot while humming. Sometimes he stopped at a baker's shop or hairpin, looked at it and took a picture of it for a while. This time, he planned to return to the residence of the State Councillor family to return to the palace with the royal guards. Li Anlan did not bother to walk anymore.

But, how shocked he was when he found that the royal carriage was no longer in front of the Yao residence. There is also quiet, there is no noise or noise from the sound of the bridesmaid music and the sound of people's gripping. It seemed, the wedding party here was over and everyone had already returned to their respective residences.

Li Anlan saw a guard come out of the residence while carrying a box of wedding gifts. Without wasting any more time, he immediately asked her,

"Sister guard, where is everyone?"

"Sorry, Miss. The party was over this afternoon," the waiter replied with a bow.

"Did you see the two royal chariots that were here?"

The guard nodded. Feeling that there was nothing to talk about anymore, the guard left.

"Damn! I'm lagging. Did they forget me? Clearly their employer hasn't returned, but has he dared to leave?"

Li Anlan grumbled as he walked away from the residence of the State Counselor. The Noble Empress stepped down the long road while looking at the people. Li Anlan repeatedly cursed her stupid self.

Again, he could not memorize the path. The streets here were too numerous and branched, until Li Anlan did not know which path he should take. Along the way to leave this morning also could not be seen Li Anlan because the woman was in a carriage that was covered with door curtains and windows.

Li Anlan kept circling down whichever path she believed to be true. He turned right, then left, straight, right again, left again, so on and over again.

Meanwhile, at Hongwu Palace, Long Ji Man was outraged over Xiao Biqi's report regarding the treatment of the State Counselor's family to the Noble Empress. He was also angry that the old Elder Yao was making it difficult for his eunuch. Long Ji Man wanted to give a severe punishment, but Xiao Biqi said that Li Anlan suggested a pay cut.

"Because the Royal Empress suggested it, then just follow it!"

"Okay, Your Majesty."

"Where is that woman now?"

"Answer, Your Majesty. Lady Huang asked permission to walk around for a while. The servant has already ordered his guards to wait at the residence of the State Counselor."

"really? Then why is the carriage in front of the palace?"

Xiao Biqi was instantly shocked. If his carriage was in front of the palace, it meant that the bodyguards had already returned. The young eunuch immediately ran outside, towards the guards who were resting not far from there. Long Ji Man also went outside to make sure of things.

Looking at Eunuch Bi and his king, the guards who had originally relaxed instantly changed positions to prostrate themselves. They saw flashes of anger on the king's cold face, which could freeze and burn the body at the same time.

"Where is Mrs Huang An?" asked Xiao Biqi.

"Isn't... Didn't the Madam come home with you?" one of the guards asked hesitantly.

Xiao Biqi hit the guards on the head with his eunuch scepter. They may leave their boss at will. What if Li Anlan searched them into the residence of the State Counselor?

Suddenly, Xie Roulan came from the direction of the front gate. The breathing of Li Anlan's personal servant gasped and dashed, as a result of galloping from Xingyue Palace towards Hongwu Palace. It was getting dark, and in the sky the black clouds were already rolling. Strange, it's still late spring, but the rain comes early.

"Your Majesty, why hasn't my Nyonyaku returned yet?"

"He really hasn't come back?"

"He's not back yet! Your Majesty, please find Madam! He could not memorize the path well, the servant was afraid that he would get lost," Xie Roulan's pint as he lowered his head. Not felt, the servant's tears fell, worried for his master who never returned after dark.

Panic, of course. Long Ji Man was anxious to punish these damn bodyguards, but looking for Li Anlan was something that should be done immediately. The woman should be found immediately before it gets any darker. With his cold face, he ordered the guards to exit the palace in search of the Noble Empress and forbade them to return before finding her. Long Ji Man also told the other bodyguards to help.

"Biqi, don't fuss!"

"Your Majesty, where are you going?"

"Finding the Grand Empress."

"Your Majesty does not need to intervene. It's very dangerous to be outside these nights!"

"Then are you going to let a weak woman seem to be hanging out in the streets?"

Xiao Biqi no longer dared to answer. He better obey the words of his king who still insisted on intervening in search of Li Anlan. Xiao Biqi would rather stay in the palace just in case, just in case another member of the royal family came to see the king. As much as possible he would buy time until Long Ji Man returned.

Long Ji Man's entourage drove the horses as fast as possible. They passed through the palace gate, then drove splitting the night down the capital road which was quite crowded. Halfway through, Long Ji Man ordered his guards to disperse, searching every corner of the city and the narrow alleys. Others check in on every building that is still open. The guards who left early were ordered to search the residence of the State Counselor. He himself looked towards the north, towards the forest of the city.

The specks of water from the sky began to fall. The longer, the more intense. The black cloud was already unable to bear the burden it contained, so it chose to drop it on the land of the Dongling Kingdom that was in the spring.

Long Ji Man's entire outfit was soaked wet. He spurred back his horse while yelling to call Li Anlan. The visibility could not be far enough because of the heavy rain and fog. Long Ji Man had a bad feeling. His heart could not calm down before he saw Li Anlan.

Panic, worry, fear, everything mixed into one. I don't know since when the Young King had these thoughts and feelings. He was already used to the commotion Li Anlan had created whenever he was by his side. Long Ji Man had gotten too used to fighting, arguing, and fighting over things with that woman. Knowing that he had not returned in a while, Long Ji Man's heart became empty like it was unfulfilled. His nerve cells worked double to create a not so good atmosphere in his body.

The eagle-sharp eyes of Long Ji Man saw a familiar female body walking in the rain ahead. The woman was carrying a backpack. His entire body was drenched, his long clothes dragged on the ground, sweeping away the rainwater and everything else on the surface of the road.

"I found it."

"Alan!"

Li Anlan who was walking in the rain instantly turned his head as someone called out his name. His frightened face turned happy as he found out who the person who had called him was. All his confusion seemed to disappear instantly.

"Your Majesty! What are you doing here?"

"I should have asked. What are you doing these nights, in the rain like this?"

"If it wasn't for your guards leaving me, I wouldn't have gotten here!"

"I know."

"His Majesty came looking for me?"

"Your servant was very worried and begged me to find her employer who did not come home."

"Continue to quibble. Your eyes have explained the truth."

"You're gonna keep talking to me in the rain like this?"

"Then how do we get back?"

"By..."

Long Ji Man was stunned for a moment. The horse he was riding was no longer behind him. The horse escaped because Long Ji Man did not hold his control rope properly. Li Anlan inevitably ended up laughing at the carelessness of her own husband. As Long Ji Man looked at him, the man was fixated for a moment.

"We'll just walk!"

"good. Your Majesty, you're the guide!"

However, just two steps away, Li Anlan tripped on her own shirt until the woman fell down. Wet hanfu turns out to be more difficult than long dry hanfu. Long Ji Man reflexively helped him stand up. However, Li Anlan only realized that his legs had hurt because they had been walking for too long under the rain.

"I can't walk anymore."

"Why?"

"My feet seem troubled. Your Majesty, what if we wait for your guards to return? Or, you just light the fireworks so they can find us? In the dramas I've been watching a lot, the actors do it a lot."

"What are you talking about? You want to light fireworks in the rain like this? One would probably ask which madman acted unreasonably like that."

Long Ji Man suddenly crouched down before Li Anlan. The man patted her on the back with his hands.

"Get it."

"Your Majesty is sure?"

"Good!"

Due to the extremely urgent situation and no longer possible, there was no other way but to comply with Long Ji Man's wishes. With a slight hesitation Li Anlan climbed onto Long Ji Man's back. After which, she felt her small body being lifted into the air and both her legs hanging. Long Ji Man carried Li Anlan like a big brother carrying his little sister.

Idiotically. Li Anlan was stupid. If they waited, the moment the bodyguards found the two, they would see a soaked Li Anlan. Such a sight was certainly very inappropriate. The body of the Nobles Empress was not a public item, where one could look carelessly.

"Other times, you're wet like this I won't forgive."

"Why?"

"You're a woman, where you can carelessly show off your body shape!"

"It's because of the rain. If it's dry, it won't be visible either."

"Only I can see you in this state!"

Not wanting to argue further, Li Anlan agreed without understanding the true intent of the last sentence thrown by Long Ji Man. He was too tired to walk. His entire strength felt exhausted unceremoniously. Li Anlan himself was confused as to why he could lose to the rain. In fact, in the modern world, he has often climbed mountains in a wet state.

"Your Majesty should not intervene. Let your guards look for me."

"They are very slow. You want them to see you unconscious when they find you?"

"Your Majesty is worried about me?"

"Your job is still a lot. If you don't exist, my work will be many."

"Sad.. Very wise reason."

Keep quibbling, Ji Man. I know your heart says otherwise, Li Anlan said inwardly.

"You have to lose weight, Anlan."

"What's? I've been like a lidi, but you're saying I'm fat?"

"I didn't say it. I'm just saying you have to lose weight."

"Both mean the same thing, Ji Man. You're doing body shaming against me!"

The couple chose to talk throughout the trip. This was the first time they had spoken casually without being obstructed from the formalities of the royal rule. In the midst of this torrential rain, no one realized that their King and Grand Empress were walking down the street, enjoying a tiring but slightly happy ride home.

...***...

...Um... there is a sweet start, nih😆 Now Ji Man has a new hobby, which is angry and cut the salary of officials. Tomorrow-tomorrow cut the salary of the concubine like, so that the expenditure is not swollen. Stay tuned, see you in the next episode!...